Independence Day 2025 is here

Happy Birthday America! We are 249 years old. Next year is the big one, the 250th. I know it may be "just a number," but many countries and societies do not last this long. And here we are. Civilization may very well have a shelf life. Countries, too. America likely is not forever self-sustaining, but so much was set in place in our beginning years that has kept us together and carried us through to the present. Our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, was prompted by certain truths that were "self-evident." That is, they weren't the mere theories of a certain movement or group but were truths that existed before we did. These self-evident truths are that, "All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The word "unalienable" means "impossible to take away or give up." These rights are for all Americans in all times. This declaration is a substantive part of our cultural DNA. And then a few years later, representatives from the 13 states drafted a Constitution that would help "form a more perfect union," among other things. That thorough document helped set this great country in motion and, with its amendments, has provided buffers that have kept us on point to maintain our freedom. Just as many Christians recite the creed when they gather together, Americans should read these documents to keep them focused and established on who we are. Friday, July 4, would be an appropriate day to do so. In relatively modern times, FDR in 1941 introduced the concept of the four freedoms. These were freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. These encapsulate the American Ideal and what we are about. Two other important documents from our history are the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address. The latter is a memorable example of economy of speech. Every word, every phrase, contains the powerful glow of inspirational truth. It ends with the famous phrase – "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." However, this can only occur when "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom." As I said at the start, here we are. This generation, like the many who preceded us, recommits ourselves to freedom. Tom Rupp is a Folsom resident and weekly Telegraph columnist. You can reach him at truppfolsom@yahoo.com.